Modern motor vehicles are typically provided with a self-supporting body, which allows a weight and cost reduction in comparison to a body constructed on a frame. In the self-supporting body, the components in their entirety absorb the introduced forces, the rigidity of the body being achieved by hollow profiles (“shells”) and a compact sheet-metal outer skin.
In a construction known to those skilled in the art, for example, from the industrial mass production of motor vehicles, as of the model “Opel Corsa”, self-supporting bodies have an underfloor, which terminates the passenger compartment on the bottom, and which is connected to the vehicle roof via a plurality of laterally situated vertical struts (“columns”). The underfloor comprises a plurality of hollow profiles, which are rigidly connected to one another during the vehicle manufacturing by welding, clinching, riveting, or another fastening technique. The hollow profiles are typically manufactured from an iron metal material (sheet metal), light metal materials also being used for the purposes of weight reduction. The hollow profiles form a frame-like structure, which is closed on top using floor plates.
In particular the bodies of modern motor vehicles comprise two side sills situated in the vehicle longitudinal direction as hollow profiles, between which the components of the so-called “floor group” are situated in the area of the passenger compartment, and a central tunnel running along the central longitudinal axis, as well as seat crossbeams running in the vehicle transverse direction, which are connected to the central tunnel and the two side sills. The two side sills are connected to one another at the front by a transverse profile, for example, the transverse profile being attached to a front wall, by which a spatial separation is provided between the passenger compartment and the body front structure located in front of the passenger compartment. The central tunnel extends from the front wall to the rear up to the so-called heel plate, which provides a transition between the floor plates of the passenger compartment and the floor plates in the area of the baggage compartment, which are placed higher.
Furthermore, the body typically comprises a front frame structure for stiffening the body front structure and a rear frame structure for stiffening the body rear structure, which is located behind the passenger compartment, which each have a longitudinal girder rigidly connected to the subfloor, which are rigidly connected to one another via transverse profiles. A front or rear crash load path, respectively, is formed by the two frame structures, by which forces absorbed in the case of a vehicle collision may be introduced into the vehicle floor and in particular into the side sill structure.
In front of the background of increasingly stricter legal requirements on the pollutant emission of motor vehicles, it is desirable to make the vehicles as light as possible to reduce the overall fuel consumption, on the one hand, and to provide the body with sufficient rigidity, on the other hand, so that the passenger compartment is pushed in as little as possible in particular in the case of a lateral collision. A conflict of goals is thus to be solved, in that the highest possible twisting or torsion stiffness of the vehicle body is to be achieved at the lowest possible vehicle weight, in order to protect the vehicle occupants as well as possible in case of a collision. In addition, the endurance running behavior of the body is to meet the high requirements which are placed on the running performance of modern motor vehicles. It is also essential in this case that the body can be manufactured using the lowest possible production and material costs.
In relation thereto, at least one object comprises refining a typical body of a motor vehicle advantageously. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.